Dressed in a traditional Malayali sari — just for BT — Vidya Balan gets out of her car and into Banana Leaf, a South Indian restaurant Andheri.

This is her first time there, and every waiter is keen to serve her a dish or two. Over some delicious South Indian cuisine, I get talking to this actress, who hails from Palakkad, a district that connects Kerala to the plains of Tamil Nadu. “Our customs, rituals, language and food is a mixture of these two states,” she informs me, “While the concept of idlis in our diet comes from Tamil Nadu, the appam and the stew comes from Kerala.”

Gorging on kanchipuram idlis served on a ‘banana leaf’, Vidya explains its importance. “We call it the vazhaillai or plantain leaf. They’re believed to have medicinal value…” she trails off. Nibbling, she continues, “The traditional South Indian meal is a multi-course meal and it’s difficult for me to manage even one course,” informs the actress, “Also, there is a system as to how the food is served. There is an order in which the food arrives, and also a particular place on the leaf where a certain type of food is kept.”

Elaborating, Vidya explains, “Sweet like sheera or payasam (milk and rice) is served first and will always be served in the right hand bottom corner of the banana leaf. While most cultures eat ‘dessert’ last, the logic behind serving the sweet first in our custom is that sweet is supposed to be an appetite builder, according to the Ayurveda.”

Essentially a chai person, Vidya makes it a point not to miss out on the typical South Indian filter coffee at South Indian weddings. “The most authentic South Indian filter coffee you’ll get only at the traditional weddings.” While she relishes the sambhar, rasam, dahi bhaat, pachchari (raita), papadam and banana chips, it’s mom-made aviyal that’s her favourite.

“Sometimes friends come over for a typical South Indian meal. But it has become much less these days since I am constantly traveling for work. The restaurants at Matunga, which I consider a mini-Madras, or then Chembur, a mini-Palakkad, have retained their original charm. They’re nothing fancy,” says Vidya, “And I often order food home from a Manis or Sunders, or then Hanuman Café. Visits to these places aren’t as frequent as they used to be,” she confesses.

“But Sunday lunches at home are best. Mom makes it a point to make traditional dishes like the molakootal. You know, during occasions when you’re seated with people to lunch or dine, you aren’t allowed to get up once you’re done with your food. You can get up only when everyone has finished. Also, you can’t ask for food. You have to wait till it’s brought to you all over again,” shares Vidya. About modernisation, the actor is quite pleased that most South Indian restaurateurs haven’t completely given in to marketing tactics and promotional strategies.

“While few restaurants may have altered the food a little bit — hipper presentations or alterations to suit the global palette — most have tried to retain its originality. The best part about the South Indian cuisine is that it’s untouched by commercialisation. The meal isn’t only complete and wholesome but also very affordable. In the multiplex age, that’s a boon…” reasons Balan. “Of course the health conscious have issues,” she adds, “You see, coconut in an essential ingredient and used in every dish. However, these days it’s considered to be fattening and sometimes even unhealthy if consumed in large quantities. So they try to go easy on it…”

With a profession like acting, where traveling is part of the plan, Vidya can’t help but surrender to whatever is available. “I don’t trust Indian food abroad, and trying to fish for South Indian food would be a brainless thing to do. But sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised. When I was in London last, I located a restaurant, Rasa Samudra that served authentic Malayali food, as authentic as what we get in Kerala and more authentic than what we get in Mumbai. I enjoyed eating there. And the foreigners thronged; there was a waiting, can you imagine?” she says wide-eyed.

“But I don’t get lucky every time,” confesses the actor, matter-of-factly, “So when I’m abroad I usually opt for Thai cuisine. It’s usually readily available, and I love it. Thai is great everywhere. I don’t enjoy fast foods like burgers and pizzas… When I was in New York, I was happy to discover the Little Thai Kitchen, which is a cute and quaint little place serving the most delicious ice tea and Thai cuisine, and I managed to find an awesome Thai restaurant even in Toronto,” claims Vidya.

So does she don the apron and get down to cooking at times? “I’m a disaster in the kitchen. And if everyone cooks, who’ll eat,” questions the actor smartly.